http://textpattern.com/?v=4.6.2Reformed Living - Familyhttp://www.ericsons.net/
Reformed Living: Food, Faith, PoliticsSat, 17 Jun 2017 21:18:39 GMTLibrary Privacy Rights - Parents Beware Three of my most cherished possessions – having survived as many decades and cross-country moves – are beautifully illustrated books of poetry given to me by my grandmother. Through them, she passed along her love of well-crafted literature. ]]>
http://www.ericsons.net/485/library-privacy-rights
Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:38:35 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2007-12-06:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/acd623b7a272b51189407181a6546f1fThe Real Story [3]
A photo documenting a poodle hugging a little boy is quite spectacular. It could so easily have vanished the moment I lifted the camera to my face…]]>
http://www.ericsons.net/8/the-real-story
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:23:02 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2004-08-30:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/0982b4521760a21eba0f281cb9bb5bb5autismpoodledanielMuffin Turf Wars I love using natural light when photographing food. Catching the last few rays of weak sunlight streaming through my dining room window, I was busily arranging freshly-made Blueberry Quark Muffins on a plate, when I had the overwhelming sensation I was being watched. Feeling like a songbird with a hawk flying overhead, I slowly looked up to find two pairs of eyes locked on the freshly baked muffins I was arranging.

My son’s excuse, for having his nose hanging dead-center over a tray of cooling muffins was he “couldn’t help himself, drawn by the lovely, intoxicating scent”. That’s a good illustration of why some children with Asperger’s are affectionately called a “Little Professor” He’s doesn’t know the meaning of “intoxicating”, instead, parroting it from a perfume commercial, thinking it has something to do with a pleasing aroma.

We were strong. And we somehow survived without the evolved “science” of meteorology. Looking through photo albums, I see we were not only strong, but also, scrawny, no doubt from wearing an extra 50-pounds of clothing in order to survive the trek to school.

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http://www.ericsons.net/693/surviving-minnesota
Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:40:21 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2009-02-01:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/2a9bb309b49cd5d21f756ca03db46aa2weatherminnesotacoldtemperature"Meteorknowledgist" or Fear Monger?Say “Minnesota”, and I think “weather”. And even though I haven’t lived there for almost 20 years, weather is still the filter through which memories flow. The Minnesota Historical Society’s homage, Weather Permitting sounds like it would be an interesting exhibit, documenting Minnesota’s weather challenges over the years.

Minnesotans tend to be obsessed about the weather forecasts …insatiable need to stay on top of weather conditions. Viewers have remained glued to their screens as the science of forecasting has evolved…backed by the science of Doppler radar. Minnesota Historical Society

Then again, “obsessed about weather forecasts”? That’s not the Minnesota I knew.

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http://www.ericsons.net/677/severe-wimp-alert
Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:24:52 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2009-01-18:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/bbe42364f02d10d8a6d22789da48499bweatherminnesotaclimateCold is Relative When we first moved to New England, I felt overwhelmed by the “locals” fascination toward all-things-weather. Within minutes of arriving at our new home, on a beautiful New England fall day, neighbors who greeted us didn’t waste time noticing our California license plates.

Skipping the usual niceties, the husband chortled, going for the jugular – the weather vein, “Whoa! Hey! California! Oh, you are SO going to freeze this winter.” Ha ha ha hahaha. Ha.

My attempts to ally their concerns, “Well, you know, we both grew up in Minnesota….”, were ignored. Misery loves company, and they were determined to make me as miserable as they were. The temptation to fall back into weather-fatalism – dreading every day, because it meant winter-was-one-step-closer – was not how I wanted to live my life.

I can understand confusion on their part, that Californians would swap ideal weather conditions, moving to New England, something I also found confusing. I decided, though, to view the joking as just a good-natured, socially-odd way to get to know someone.

Their reply always seemed a bit wistful, not said straight-on, looking me in the eyes, but instead, glancing out the window to the frozen landscape. It didn’t help that a huge conch shell, they’d found on an “exquisite and beautiful Florida beach”, held a place of honor in the livingroom curio cabinet. Pressed against my ear, it filled my head with more than ocean sounds, instead, creating discontentment. (Phil 4:11).

“Låt maten tysta munnen”, another of her favorites, interpreted by my heart as, “A big, bad snowstorm is coming, so Grandma’s making a hot rice pudding for her beloved, precious grandchildren”, was, in reality: “Let the food quiet the mouth.” Children trapped inside a house, during a storm, can be high energy!

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Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:02:30 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2009-01-11:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/92dcc7c02a1c2360911d2b66710ba1dddessertricepuddingStorm of '08
When we first moved to New England, neighbors and friends, noticing our California license plates, regaled us with stories about why we “Californians” would “love” New England winters given the history of “the worst, most miserable winter storms”, with the hurricane of ’38 mentioned the most often.

The “ice storm of ’08”, which occurred a week ago tonight, Thursday, December 11st, will no doubt give ’38 a run for top billing, for at least a few decades to come. The moral of this story isn’t in the details of persevering, but instead, what was learned about being better prepared, when it was all said and done.

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Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:58:07 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-12-17:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/0eb11e8cf9559f284d099d5dd9b98419Being Prepared As of today, the first day of winter, some people are still without power here in New England, knocked out by gusty winds and ice during the “worst ever” storm on December 11th. I’m so thankful ours was restored a couple days ago because this weekends 24-inches of snow would have added even more difficult variables – driving on slick roads to continue supplying gas for the generator and refilling water storage containers for the humans and animals. In hindsight, we were only semi-prepared. We had a generator, sufficient to power the entire house, if needed. Our food storage – dehydrated organic vegetables – doesn’t require refrigeration or a freezer. I also had a small amount of water for several days, as long as nobody used it to flush toilets. One flush took 1 1/2 gallons – a ridiculous amount.]]>
http://www.ericsons.net/659/being-prepared
Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:50:31 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-12-22:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/fdb6888c1c0f0e904e8f26c47a47b42dDestiny: Liberation]]>
http://www.ericsons.net/649/destiny-liberation
Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:11:11 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-12-04:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/7c310a744219b358a22041a4052ab2dbfaithglorificationresurrectionchristThe Real Story of Thanksgiving With parents arguing over elementary Thanksgiving costumes, it’s clear the last several generations haven’t a clue as to the real history of America. Instead, their primary focus is one of being inoffensive, which only makes them all the more offensive.

The Indians, no doubt, got a bum rap on many land deals. On the other hand, the American Indian tribes needed a little spiffing up, no strangers to human sacrifices, warfare, and cannibalism, not exactly the makings of innocents. Europeans had a far superior culture due to their superior God. Unfortunately, visit the major historical centers such as Cape Cod and Plimoth Plantation (where I’m pictured, sweeping out a cabin), and you’ll hear a revisionist history being shared – one of corn-stealing Pilgrims and abused Indians. Given the politically-correct atmosphere gripping Amerika – a country soon not to be equated with freedom, I appreciate Rush Limbaugh’s telling of the authentic Thanksgiving story.

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http://www.ericsons.net/637/the-real-story-of-thanksgiving
Sun, 30 Nov 2008 06:15:48 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-11-27:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/72168ae22344a1c8ca8f5441d01ec30fthanksgivingpilgrimhistoryCountdown to Thanksgiving Dinner I’ve been looking forward to this week since….well…..since we had the same dinner last year. We have a real turkey farmer, in northern New Hampshire, who raises turkeys as naturally as possible, allowing them to free-range the way the Lord intended – running around sun, bug and grass-filled pastures all summer long. Unlike factory-farmers who claim “free-range”, but instead confine hundreds, if not thousands of birds to sunless crowded, buildings, our farmer only raises a couple dozen – enough to peacefully exist and co-exist on the acres he has available.

While I’ve always been attentive to food preparation, there’s a far deeper sense of gratitude and respect for the life that was given, when I know the care and effort that was put into raising our food. I know from talking with him, that “processing” the birds never gets easier, and each year he talks about it being his last. Yet, he also knows, if he doesn’t continue to raise his own food in this manner, instead buying it from the grocery store, he’ll be feeding his family an inferior food. So, like us, he gives thanks for the lives of those creatures that lost their lives in order that we might be sustained – a daily reflection and eternal perspective of the Cross.

For preparation of this year’s turkey, see my Turkey Brine entry from last July.

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Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:08:26 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-11-25:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/0f7c6e6b6280c01500cbd2a570d9186fthanksgivingorganicnourishing traditionsbrineturkeyJustified for Evermores far as any eye could see
There was no green. But every tree
Was cinder black, and all the ground
Was gray with ash. The only sound
Was arid wind, like spirits’ ghosts,
gasping for some living hosts
In which to dwell as in the days
Of evil men, before the blaze
Of unimaginable fire
Had made the earth a flaming pyre
For God’s omnipotent display
Of holy rage.
The dreadful Day
Of God had come. The moon had turned
To blood. The sun no longer burned
Above, but, blazing with desire,
had flowed into a lake of fire.
The seas and oceans were no more,
And in their place a desert floor
Fell deep to meet the brazen skies,
And silence conquered distant cries.]]>
http://www.ericsons.net/616/justified-for-evermore
Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:29:33 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-10-28:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/75eafc04fa9f05dac54825238e49c0f5scripturepiperglorificationjustificationDeath, Justification & Cockatiels Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eats, thereof you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17)

Today, I held the penalty of sin – death – in my hands. It struck down my 19-year-old Cockatiel, Minnie, her wings spread uselessly, breathing labored, face-down on the bottom of her cage. I’m thankful I found her in time, that I was with her when she took her final breath.

Even though the Lord, always generous with His mercy, prepared my heart weeks in advance, showing me what was to pass, I wasn’t ready. Instead of bowing my head in submission, saying, ‘Yes, Lord, I will be still”, I begged He’d spare her for just a little bit longer….

Nineteen years is the longest I’ve shared my life with any pet. In hindsight, our time together was but a blink of a star.

It’s that time of year – birthday time – when my daughter asks only for one thing, that I make her favorite cake, Boston Cream Pie. There’s been one year in the last 13 that I’ve not made her birthday cake. That was what I call the “Coveting Year”, the year she discovered that some people have store-bought cakes for their birthdays.

Walking through the Costco bakery, always a child who was wonderful at memory games, she jumped excitedly at the Costco refrigerated sheetcake cooler, pointing at one particularly garish, “Happy Birthday” rainbow cake which had enough red #40 to cause behavioral disorders for the next 20 years. “That’s it! That’s it! That’s the cake Margret had for her birthday! And I want one just like it! No! No! There’s one with balloons! Oh, how I love balloons. Please?”

At that point, we still had 9 long weeks left before the Blessed Event. She became more obsessed with the notion, cutting decorated cake pictures out of magazines, chopping holes in the middle of the Costco magazine, transporting cakes from their pages to her persuasive letter-writing campaign sent to me. “Dear Mommy. In order to give you a break from all the cooking you do, I’d like a Costco cake.”

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http://www.ericsons.net/600/traditions
Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:14:13 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-09-20:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/d50b9a736b6028f38ce3910f83d8dbe4Wild Blueberry HuntingFruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. Ezekiel 47:12

This summer’s wild berry crop has blessed us with abundant black raspberries and blackberries, their seeds deposited by creatures a few summers ago in our yard, along our rock retaining walls, and in a once-hoped-for garden stolen from me by a persistent and destructive woodchuck. When the last blackberry thorn extracted its blood price from my arm, its bounty tucked away in the freezer, my mind turned towards the next harvest – blueberries.

Unlike past summers, we won’t be journeying to northern Maine, exploring Bar Harbor and Acadia coastal beaches, enjoying whale-watch excursions, sailboat rides, lobster dinners around the campfire – a black tie and white linen affair back in Minnesota where I grew up – and my favorite activity, wild blueberry picking. It’s the blueberry picking I’ll miss the most, the daily ritual of rising first-light-of-dawn, heading out into fog-enshrouded seaside fields, steaming mug of coffee in one hand, berry bucket in the other, in search of fresh berries.

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http://www.ericsons.net/583/wild-blueberry-hunting
Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:46:41 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-08-10:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/5ebfe2194417e0a8b9f42326f1c5d0efSo Much Food, So Little Time..... [1] My husband researched restaurants ahead of time, discovering Penang had great reviews. We were on a mission, wanting Laksa, a Maylaysian soup for which there are hundreds of recipes and thousands of condiments from which one might choose to grace its surface creating variations as unique as individual taste.

Once seated, having a few sips of hot tea automatically delivered with the menus, we encountered our first problem of a long, lovely day. There were too many wonderful items on the menu. Malay cuisine is a wonderful mix, a “Best Of” including satay, nasi lemak, rendang, roti canai, murtabak, laksa – dishes from countries near ‘n far, influenced by ancient trade routes including China, north and south India, Thailand and even Portugal.

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http://www.ericsons.net/553/so-much-food-so-little-time
Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:00:32 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-06-03:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/76f5aba8de93ef0dac4fd7c2ea13c757thaimalaysianpenanglaksaassamrotithailandchinaindiaThe Real Chicken Farmer Story Well, the chicken is out of the bag. I’ve finally read the real story behind the “Chicken Farmer I Still Love You” rock, reported in a 1997 Yankee Magazine article, and reworked into a sermon by a Rev. Zucker.

I wasn’t let down, as my husband feared I might be, after having spent a homebound snowy winter speculating about the the possibilities behind the proclamation emblazoned across a rock we passed on our way to a weekend of camping. I found the true story to be a sweet tale of young love, albeit, I hope the mute young man found his “voice” in his life-beyond-the-rock phase. Love is worth finding courage. -Sharon

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http://www.ericsons.net/542/the-real-chicken-farmer-story
Sun, 18 May 2008 06:19:54 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-05-18:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/2cdf4630238788bac810e6cb89dc36c6Chicken Farmer I Still Love You [1] Driving along the backroads, heading towards a weekend of camping in Vermont, we passed by a rock set back from the roadside emblazoned with a message, “Chicken Farmer I Still Love You”.

I was driving our 38-feet of motorhome, towing a car carrying 2 kayaks, and my husband, knowing me all too well yelled out, “DO NOTSTOP TO TAKE A PICTURE! We’re losing light!”

Rats! Losing light! That is the camper’s mantra, the driving force on which all major decisions are made. Losing light means a few minutes lost taking pictures of a cryptic message on a rock in the middle of nowhere might make the difference between having to pull into a tight space in pitch black deep-woods dark, or maybe, hopefully, having a wee bit of light by which to maneuver our bulk into a harbor of rest. I drove on, but the image of that rock, which came to be known as “Chicken Rock”, stuck with us through the winter.

Sitting cross-legged at my maternal grandparent’s feet during family gatherings, I never tired of hearing them recount their “Coming to America” experiences. My favorite scene was their description of standing at the feet of Lady Liberty, while my grandfather read “Emma Lazarus poem, The New Colossus. Unfortunately, the meaning of both poem and “Lady Enlightenment”, her proper name, are now controversial, with some contending she was never designed as a welcome mat.

At the time my grandparents arrived, America was courting people exactly like them – people who were educated, self-sufficient and would further strengthen, rather than weaken, the fabric of life. Their values and religion were not foreign, their God the same as the One worshiped by Founding Fathers. They didn’t come empty-handed, but instead, brought along one newborn baby, a few dozen neighbors and friends of the same culture and language, and together, built their new lives.

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http://www.ericsons.net/507/give-me-your-poor
Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:52:41 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-02-20:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/a4e032851f0ce41e42a4cd8dc0d9d931Travel Challenge!
Have I ever blogged about my love of traveling? This game is a good way to hone up on my geography skills while I’m grounded with 24/7 parenting. But some day, I’ll be packing my bags again, and until then, I’ll keep trying to beat my own score of 97. See what yours is! Click “more” to play it! -Sharon]]>
http://www.ericsons.net/496/travel-challenge
Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:09:39 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2008-01-24:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/000011f4e05108542a6d481fee734c35Shadow Boxing
This past Sunday, we took the entire family to a Sunday matinée theater-production of “A Christmas Carol”. The children were so cute, fascinated with every creative aspect – dancing, strolling carolers, singing – so much so, they’re still re-enacting favorite scenes.

There was one tense moment, at the very beginning, when Scrooge delivered his grumpy, heart-of-stone “boiled with his own pudding” line at which Daniel’s Autism kicked into high gear.

Rising from his chair, he thrust a shaking pointer finger at Scrooge, fully intending to confront what he perceived to be a personal attack.

In Daniel’s World, the entire audience had melted away.

Fortunately, what he lacks in the ability to interpret intent or to modulate his voice, I make up for in speed. Before he tempestuously sputtered more than, “You!”, he found himself muffled and transported, firmly held in my lap.

Quickly remembering his manners, he stage-whispered, to the chuckling-amusement of those around us, ““Oh! Sorry! So, Mommy, he’s one of those people who hates God, isn’t he!”

Out of the mouth of babes.

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http://www.ericsons.net/490/shadow-boxing
Thu, 27 Dec 2007 20:59:42 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2007-12-27:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/c6feffaf0486076af27f56465a5c9385"Sorry" Doesn't Cut It Anymore I dug out a few “vintage”, safely tucked-away, board games from my childhood – “Sorry”, “Parcheesi”, and “Trouble”. They looked practically brand-new just-off-the-shelf, even though they’d had several decades of use. My children gathered around looking curious, a bit suspicious. My explanation of the rules and strategies didn’t garner enthusiasm. It wasn’t long before my astute and bright children observed that when I explained one, I’d explained them all.

“So”, they repeated back to me, “you throw the dice, or ‘pop’ the dice container, then move your ‘men’ the total count, and try to be the first one to land all your players home.”

“Yep”, I agreed, sagging, “that’s about it”. I brightened up, having thought of one more key point, “But! But, you can send a person BACK and they have to start ALL over again!”

They still weren’t impressed.

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http://www.ericsons.net/487/sorry-doesnt-cut-it-anymore
Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:16:54 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2007-12-13:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/971af85a978d3ba75f75c4c5c72dd3f0As if I needed another reason..... …to appreciate homeschooling, I’m archiving the following article as a reminder. Of late, I’ve noticed an increase in what I consider to be VIOLENCE against children in our society by those who should, instead be protecting them. Another aspect of these increasing incidents – where children are treated as adults, instead of minors in need of admonition and instruction – is this may well be the result of the trend in America to give a minor child “rights”,
equal with that of an adult. The American Library Association, for example, has written their own “Bill of Rights” encouraging libraries to treat a minor child’s “right” to privacy on par with that of an adult, something I’ve experienced and written about in a recent blog. When we grant minor children “rights”, the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of the parents is undermined, usurping parental authority. When the “state” or government interferes with the natural God-created roles of authority and accountability within the family structure, we no longer have a republic, but instead, a fascist society. ]]>
http://www.ericsons.net/484/as-if-i-needed-another-reason
Sun, 09 Dec 2007 07:16:28 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2007-12-01:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/712a2b6967d96b87f3d83f12348484e8Homeschooling - Last American Freedom?Not content with brain-washing the majority of AmericaÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s children with dumbed-down socialist values where self-esteem reigns supreme and individual thinking skills are frowned upon, the NEA is now gunning for homeschoolers, the last bastion of America freedom still protected by American federal law.

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http://www.ericsons.net/476/homeschooling-last-stronghold-of-freedom
Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:39:29 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2007-09-26:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/7eb9d1576cf18fb10d2df75aeceafff8Nothing's Too Hard for God [1]Job 40: 1And the LORD said to Job: 2 “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” 3 Then Job answered the LORD: 4 “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.” 6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: 7 “Gird up your loins like a man; I will question you, and you declare to me. 8 Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be justified? 9 Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?

A friend is dying. If I had written what was on my heart, six months ago, I would have revealed an inclination toward rumbling with my God, the One with a voice that can thunder.

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http://www.ericsons.net/471/nothing-too-hard-for-god
Fri, 07 Sep 2007 08:28:14 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2007-09-07:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/311cc42c91e7189fbe5bf9672fe14bb4Sign of the Times Pictures are worth a thousand words. But that never kept me from putting down thoughts…..

We snapped this photo a few days short of the bulldozer showing up, demolishing yet another New England antique store from the face of the earth.

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http://www.ericsons.net/469/sign-of-the-times
Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:18:53 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2007-09-06:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/c335697c5b32db718356cd68b40f6563An Evening with James.....Taylor I don’t like name-dropping but, well, we spent what felt like an intimate evening with James Taylor last night – a wonderful way to bring summer to a close. “We” included a few thousand other souls, in addition to my family, but it felt as if James was conversing with each and everyone one of us. Billed as an “intimate retrospective of 40 years of songs”, this particular tour began in Connecticut, over a week ago, and will end September 9th at Radio City Music Hall. The show is simple in design, without a big back-up band or singers, something which could have made a few of the songs flop, but handled nicely by video projection and a really great sound system.]]>
http://www.ericsons.net/467/an-evening-with-jamestaylor
Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:29:00 GMTSharontag:www.ericsons.net,2007-08-26:96bd12ae5c554269dad49b77da88ab97/79acc3b355d44beee90b30989daad71c